[Guest]

I have seen and continue to see a number of Finn Mosins - M91's so far - with nail-like pins just forward to the barrel bands. I understand why they're there, but I have two questions:

How does one disassemble the rifle without removing these? If these do need to be removed first, won't their occasional removal and reinstallation gradually tear up the wood in the stock?

Thanks in advance for any help...

Scott

 

[7.62x54r]

You don't. Yes.

 

[badger]

You have to loosen the barrel bands completely and then they will barely come off. Thats the way they work on my NEW, that has never been reworked, with about 50% of the original shellac still on the stock.

regards
badger

 

[euclid]

Just be glad your M91 that pin. I have a NEW M91 with the pin missing and I couldn't shoot it without that front band coming off...

 

[zeebill]

Another part to Badger's post is that if they don't clear them when they are as loose as they get, take a nail set and pop them a couple of times further into the wood and you are in business, I have even used that little ploy when I had a completely frozen band too. Bill

 

[badger]

euclid you may be able to find a small round headed tack at a hardware store that you could use for a pin. See how deep the tack will go into the existing hole where the original pin was located. Cut the shaft of the pin so it is slightly longer than the hole. That may solve your problem. I am not talking about a thunb tack, but one with a small round head about the same size as the original. You could also use a small trim nail and put it in a drill and use a file to shape the head of the trim nail.

regards
badger

 

[Spetznatz]

I don't think the pins were made to be removed.

 

[unbekannt]

I was wondering about this, too.
Both of mine -B barrel, and VKT, both 1942 marked- have small slot screws holding the bands in place, not nails.
Nails or screws, what is more common?

 

[badger]

My experience is the nails were used by the original manufacturers of the M91. The screws are a Finn exclusive. I dont think the Finns ever used the nails, the screws allow you to fire the gun with less tension on the bands than the screws allow. This can be a factor in improving the accuracy of each rifle, by avoiding unwanted pressure points on the barrel.

regards
badger

 

[Guest]

I'm looking at a pretty Finn M91 for sale right now, a VKT.

But I'm somewhat uncomfortable with buying a rifle that I can never take apart and inspect. What if there's active rust under there?